Win Her Heart
by Vaneria Potter
Summary: The three princes didn't want to marry a stranger, but they wouldn't mind marrying Merida. The tale of how three princes won the heart of a princess, before her hand
1. I don't want to get married

_Disclaimer: Despite Medieval Re-enactments and being more than capable of shooting a longbow, I do not own '__Brave__' or any of the associated characters._

_Summary: The Princes agreed with Merida's plan of breaking Tradition to find love. None of them wanted to marry a stranger, but they wouldn't mind marrying Merida. How three princes set out to win the heart of one fiery princess._

* * *

**__WIN HER HEART, BEFORE HER HAND**

_Young MacIntosh_

Princess Merida and I didn't have much in common, other than being proud and strong-willed, but we did agree on several things, not the least of which being that we should be free to choose our own marriage.

I was glad to see the look of surprise and gratitude on her face when I spoke over my father to agree with her proposal. Her skill with a bow had surpassed us all, and I had started to worry that my looks might see me betrothed and wed to a woman that I was sure to butt heads with. Repeatedly.

Merida probably would have won any arguments, too, with how much she took after both parents.

The idea of winning Princess Merida's heart, or at least her good friendship, was a much better alternative than winning the hand of a strong-willed stranger. We were both intelligent, had a way of being heard, and could fight well. Neither of us was unattractive, though Merida had the looks of a Highland Warrior Queen, rather than my meticulous appearance.

Common traits and interests were more than most betrothed couples shared, and I think that we could grow to love each other.

Now my only problem was that I would be stuck trying to compete with a Chief's son who made the Princess laugh, and an only son whose wild brand of fighting would work perfectly with Merida's only slightly more refined style.

Blast.

* * *

_Wee Dingwall_

I liked being out-shot by the Princess, partly because my own bull's eye had been sheer luck when I jumped at King Fergus's yell, but also because, as I told my Father, "I dinnae ask for her; it was your idea."

It wasn't an idea that I was going to run screaming from, but it wasn't an idea that I welcomed, either. I think that Merida and I would make a good couple, but for now, we knew almost nothing of each other.

Life with the Princess of Dun Broch would certainly be interesting, likely in a good way, but I wanted any future wife of mine to be at least a friend.

Clan Dingwall had a tendency to charge into the thick of things, and I was no exception. Merida's proud declaration that she would shoot for her own hand was something that I could see any true Dingwall woman doing.

Seeing her shoot, and raise a sword to her own father in defence of her transformed mother, sealed my decision that I would be proud to call her my ally…but I didn't yet know if I would be happy to call her my wife.

Lady Dingwalls throughout history had ridden to battle beside their husbands, or led a war party in their own right and name. Others had made their clans proud by defending their homes against would-be invaders, as my own mother and grandmother had.

I could easily see Merida by my side in a fight, or commanding a defence, and was glad of it. We had one thing in common, at least, and love had grown from less.

Now all I had to do was figure out how to win Merida's heart.

Somehow, I don't think that she would appreciate an all-out brawl as a solution.

* * *

_Young MacGuffin_

I was not sure who looked more relieved; Princess Merida or we three competing for her hand.

Oh, I admired the princess, and I would have married her gladly, but no-one likes the idea of spending the rest of their life with a complete stranger.

My father's phrasing was good, even if it had been Queen Elinor and Princess Merida's idea, no matter how much they convinced the Lords to think otherwise. Competing to win Merida's heart would let us discover if we could get along, at least, or if our clans would simply remain bound by friendship.

Even if Princess Merida did not choose me, friendship with her would be no bad thing.

Even trying to win Merida's heart would be good for me, as I could admit that I rely more on brawn than brain, and a chief needs both. Queen Elinor gently guides King Fergus, but the King is wise in his own way.

Merida is obviously close to her father, though most of her personality is clearly Queen Elinor's, and I bear enough of a resemblance to the King that we would probably resemble a marriage much like that of her parents, which is no bad thing.

Queen Elinor clearly went overboard in her teaching, making sure that Princess Merida knew all of the clan dialects, as well as the Common one. The two of them were the only ones outside of my father who picked up even half of what I was saying, and perhaps that appealed to her sense of humour.

The giggle, warm look, and tentative smile she gave me for my support is a good start, at least.

* * *

_Princess Merida_

When I wasn't seething over the fact that they were here to marry me, I could admit that maybe the three Princes were about as happy with the arrangement as I was. As in, not at all.

I was a Princess, so my choices for marriage were always going to be limited, and certainly no-one from my father's kingdom. They would always see me as King Fergus's daughter, rather than my own person.

Perhaps having to marry someone I didn't yet know could be a good thing. We could get to know each other without expectations. Happy marriages had started from less.

The three princes did have things to recommend them, at least. Wee Dingwall was a lot like my mother, and was someone I would be able to stand beside as equals.

Young MacIntosh was a lot like me, both the good and the bad qualities, so we had that in common, at least. Common interest could turn into love, if we both made the effort.

Young MacGuffin was like my father, and he made me laugh. Making the effort to figure out what he was saying, when I currently only picked up one word in three, could give us the chance to get to know each other.

Perhaps a potential marriage wouldn't be so bad.

_brave_

_brave_

_brave_

_brave_

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_A/N: This has been lurking in my head since I saw the departure scene. I'm still deciding whether to leave this as a one-shot, or to go onto Courtship Misadventures. If any of my readers have a preference, let me know._

_Thanks,_

_Nat_


	2. Ride through the Glen

_Disclaimer: I don't own Brave, or any of the associated characters. If I did, I wouldn't be writing Fanfiction._

_Summary: See Previous Chapter_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO **

_Wee Dingwall_

Well, a ride through the woods was a good start for getting to know Merida.

It was something we had in common, and brought a sense of freedom as we galloped, leaving duties and responsibilities back at the keep.

The sight of targets filled with arrows as we rode actually made me feel a bit better, too. It was proof that Merida had trained, and trained hard, to refine her skill with a bow, and I had to admit I was impressed.

My Bullseye had been a total fluke, when I jumped and automatically obeyed King Fergus's yell to 'get on with it!' Merida had worked long and hard to achieve the skill that let her split my arrow and hit the stand behind the target in the competition for her hand.

In my mind's eye, I could see Merida aiming and shooting as her horse galloped, a fearsome warrior by my side as we battled invaders. I didn't know this fair Princess, but I thought that I could grow to love her, eventually. "I dinnae ask for you, but I'd make sure that you weren't unhappy, and there are trails like this in Dingwall."

Merida looked at me in faint surprise. "It wasn't just that. I don't know that I'm ready, if I'll ever be ready, and marriage means saying goodbye to everything familiar."

Huh. I had never looked at it from a girl's angle before. A woman came to her husband's home upon marrying, and if that home was days or weeks of travel from her childhood home…

I searched for something reassuring to say "Well, I know I'm not ready for anything but being a Berserker, and so does everyone else. It'd be nice to visit places where people don't try to keep as far away as is polite."

Merida's eyes glowed as she smiled. "You'll find your way, eventually, and being a Berserker isn't always a bad thing."

I returned the smile. I respected her, and I think that she was starting to respect me on my own merits (few though they were), and love had grown from less than that.

* * *

_Young MacIntosh_

I didn't ride much, as it tended to play merry havoc on my physical appearance.

As it way, I was too busy trying to make a better second impression than I did on the archery field to pay attention to where I was going, and was promptly unhorsed by a low-hanging tree branch.

Merida, knowing this part of the wood like the back of her hand (if the well-worn path and the various arrow-peppered targets were any indication) had automatically ducked, but at least didn't laugh too hard as she rode back and helped me up.

We returned to the keep not long after, as I was disoriented and neither of us wanted to risk further injury.

It was actually fun, sneaking through secret passages to avoid being spotted by my father, and Queen Elinor showed an uncanny resemblance to her daughter as her eyes sparkled with hidden amusement as she put something on the spectacular bruise growing on my head and mixed up a foul-smelling potion. "Not to worry, dear. I was making this every other week while Merida was growing up.

Merida pulled a face, clearly hoping that her mother wouldn't bring up any childhood stories. "Mum! Besides, you'll be making it for the triplets long after I'm gone and they're grown!"

I hadn't considered that as part of why Merida might be reluctant to choose a husband. If she married a younger son, perhaps her husband would come to live here, but with three heirs as her options, Merida would be the one to leave. I gingerly touched the receding lump on my head, "MacIntosh is only a few days away by ship, and I'm sure our Wise Women would love to learn from you, if all your healing work is this good."

Both woman smiled, and Merida offered me the potion. Though she did have to sit on me to stop me trying to escape as they poured the potion down my throat, in the end. Even that was kind of liberating, like rough-housing with a friend, and I felt a stir of hope.

The Princess and I actually seemed to get along, and love had grown from far less than friendship.

Marriage wasn't looking too bad, and even if she chose one of the others, we had the beginning of friendship, which had bound just as many alliances as marriage had.

* * *

_Young MacGuffin_

It took a long time to find a horse big enough for me to properly ride, and eventually, Merida and I had to go to King Fergus to ask permission to borrow his horse.

I really could have lived without the suspicious look the king gave me, reading far too much into my suggestion of a ride while we got to know each other.

Well, if Merida chose one of the other young Lords, at least there was a strong chance that no other father I would face could be as frightening as King Fergus when I asked for his daughter's hand.

We couldn't ride nearly as fast as I knew the Princess wanted to, and she involuntarily twitched in the saddle a few times as we rode a trail that had obviously seen archery target practice as its main use for several years now. I made a concentrated effort to speak in the common tongue, since it would be rude for Merida to have to translate everything I said. "Perhaps one day, you can teach me to shoot as you do."

The smile she gave me was answer enough as we reached the base of a cliff and a huge waterfall. Merida gave me an inviting look, "I climb here a lot; my father says that the great kings once did so, too."

Climbing cliffs was one way I had built up so much muscle, and I took Merida's hand as we tied up the horses. I was trying to think of a tactful way to mention that she was wearing a dress, which was sure to make climbing even harder, but I didn't need to, as Merida climbed better in a dress than some people I knew could climb in breeches.

Grinning, I started to ascend after her.

When we reached the top, she cupped her hands and drank from the waterfall, before stretching out her arms and spinning around.

I copied her, more slowly, and I could see why she climbed here so often, dress or no dress. The view was breathtaking, and it was as if I could see the history of our land, the lords and rulers and heroes who had come before, in the mountains and lakes far below.

A slender hand slipped into mine. "I'll miss this when I have to leave."

That was something that hadn't crossed my mind, and not just because I resented the idea of marrying someone I didn't know. When Merida married, she would have to leave the only home she knew, for a land filled with strangers and away from those she loved. "If it helps, there are cliffs like this near MacGuffin Keep."

Merida smiled again, and I returned it. We weren't in love, but we had things in common and we got along well, and that was a good start.

_brave_

_brave  
_

_brave_

_brave_

* * *

_A/N: Part One of the Courting Misadventures. A ride through the woods, a bit of talking, and exploring reasons that Merida might not want to get married. The line about not being ready, perhaps never being ready, stuck with me, and I wanted to explore that._

_Also, I'm taking suggestions for who Merida should end up with, and your argument for that pairing._

_Thanks, Nat_

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